♥ September Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

September (Ohnir) Event Log
Ohnir is in full swing now and the weather, while still boasting hot days, is starting to cool slightly at night. The residents are recovering after the lightning storms from the previous month and, curiously, most of the robots that had been damaged in the storms are back. They don't look the same as before, but they seem to act the same, still happy, still thankful that the offworlders are here. A few even thank those who carried their bodies to the temples with small gifts of painted stones. Havenwell continues as it always has and welcomes their new arrivals with a few rather odd changes...

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❥ PROMPT I: Robot Crossing

Now that all the new and old arrivals have mingled and met, the robotic natives start pointing everyone toward the VR cafes. The bright lights and cozy insides have been decorated with fake leaves and carved and painted plaster approximations of fruits and vegetables in odd colors. When an offworlder comes in, they explain that back when they were still in their flesh bodies, the month of Ohnir was one for harvest and celebrations of the summer bounties. Now, without any real farms or need to eat, they've translated the Harvest Festival into a game, so why not play?

Logging in with another character will net you a little farm and a variety of games to choose from:

1. Pick and harvest as many Aellyn vegetables and fruits as you can before the timer runs out! The more you pick, the better your score. Work together with your partner to clear the field in any way you can. Strangely, once you finish clearing a tree or a field row of their bounty, they seem to magically refill when you turn your back. Oh well, at least you won't run out before the timer hits zero and with the sheer number of levels and combinations of trees and fields with obstacles in your way to make harvesting a little more challenging with each new level, you certainly won't be running out of things to do.
   
2. With a partner, use the giant slingshot to launch comically large fruits into a garden patch of other colored fruits. Match a line of 3 or more similarly shaped fruits to clear it from the field. The more fruits you can clear, the higher your score - aka welcome to Fruit Crush. Stack lines of 6 or more to get shining clear diamond fruits that clear the entire row and snag yourself some bonus points.
   
3. You and your partner(s) are given a magical golden pumpkin and it's your job to grow it into the largest pumpkin possible. Why? There's a county fair of course and the largest pumpkin wins! But how do you grow this pumpkin? Well, there are a lot of methods! You could gather up materials and work together to stick it to the pumpkin until it absorbs them and grows. You could do a song and dance routine together to encourage the pumpkin's soul to grow big and bright. You could hold hands and share stories and entertain the pumpkin until it feels encouraged enough to grow on its own. The possibilities are endless, so get to work making the best pumpkin that (digital) fair has ever seen!

As always, when playing the game, the picture and quality seems to increase as long as you're in contact with another person. Once the games are over and your scores tallied, the cafe attendant walks over and asks to see your communicators. To the winners, he or she attaches a little floating charm in the shape of one of Aellyn's weirder fruits. It looks like a cross between a blue rambutan and the hala aka puhala fruit, and it's called the sikheen fruit here. The sikheen are extremely rare nowadays, but their appearance is so unique that Havenwell residents still like to remember it for the Harvest Festival. Enjoy your prize!

❥ PROMPT II: Paint by Number

The new arrivals get to enjoy Havenwell in all its glory for about a week before suddenly, one day everyone wakes up to find the entire city has gone gray. And not a natural, nice gray either, but a strange dull, lifeless gray. Everything from the sky to the houses to the grass to the native people have all turned the exact same shade of graphite gray. Even the natives are confused and the devout flock to the temples while the science-minded head to the labs to study this new phenomenon. The only ones who seem spared from this strange color drain are the offworlders and the statues of the gods in the center of town. Or, well, at least most of the offworlders are spared. A few people might notice that their colors aren't as bright as they once were, or that parts of them are starting to turn gray as well. Those offworlders unlucky enough to lose some of their own can touch another player character to regain what was lost easily enough. Overall though, no one seems harmed by this sudden loss of color, but they're certainly perplexed.

A few days later and round silver platforms start showing up around the city, dragged out of storage by the natives. The first arrivals might remember these as the fireworks platforms that are activated by people standing and holding hands on them. The temple priests and scientists encourage the offworlders to stand on the platforms again and to hold hands or engage in some other sort of physical contact on them and wait.

When characters do as asked, the platforms shoot fireworks like they did before - in brilliant colors instead of the dull gray everywhere. And wherever the sparks fall, color starts returning to the world in splotches. The natives are overjoyed and move the platforms all across the city, asking the offworlders to find and use them wherever possible to return the color to their town.

❥ PROMPT III: Sharing is Caring

Ohma's temple is particularly lively during Ohnir and the priests are busy cleaning and sweeping, decorating it with rolls of parchment and digital inkwells and quills that write as if they were actually fountain pens. The natives, especially adherents of Ohma, start to make pilgrimages to the temple in little processions, some playing music, others flying banners. It would probably be far more impressive if the colors weren't still so gray and splotchy, but they're trying their best.

Anyone who chooses to follow can observe the natives going up to the altar and sharing stories with one another. They talk about things they did over the past year or things that are far, far in their past. Some of the stories are happy and result in the procession laughing and some are...well, not everyone came back from the lightning storms. The priests diligently write every story down on those parchment rolls and deposit them onto the waiting altar, where they're summarily lit on fire to the cheers of those present. The more emotional the story it seems, the brighter and bluer the flame that it emits and the louder the procession cheers.

As the file out, they notice you watching and urge you to go up with someone else in the temple to clear your heart and offer up your own stories. They can be stories of home, information about your worlds, or stories about your life. It seems the more personal the story, the brighter the flame though and the more Dora that will mysteriously show up in your account at a later date. If the priests are asked about this donation later, they're just as perplexed. No one they know would have paid anyone for an offering to Ohma, so where could it have come from....?

❥ PROMPT IV: Sleep Sweet

With Ainea's temple familiars finally back where they belong, quiet returns to the city at night. We're sure that first long uninterrupted sleep felt heavenly, right? Although there may not be color in the city, the world of dreams at least is fully technicolor and safe. Which might be weird for some characters in case they don't normally dream or remember their dreams because now everyone is dreaming at night. Most of the dreams are the usual variety that your character always has, but every so often in the midst of a pleasant dream about home or a funky one about flying pizza (whatever it is you usually dream about, we don't judge), there's a glitch.

Out of the corner of your eye or just on the edge of your vision, a person appears. Their face can't be seen and their arms are longer than they have any right to be, but they appear and stand there, watching. Trying to focus on this person causes them to flit away and it's easy enough to dismiss as a random event, until it keeps happening. And it keeps happening, and it keeps happening, and every time you see this person, they get closer and even less distinct. Waking up and talking to or holding someone might help calm that disquiet in your heart, offworlder, so hopefully there's someone around to help you.

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This event will run from September 16th to September 30th. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread on the OOC Entry.

Feel free to also use the OOC Plotting Post for planning what your character is up to!

Comments

[carbungle]

[If warping wasn't such an obvious and familiar power, he might have missed it, still so transfixed by the brilliant colours in the sky. He only turns when he's addressed, though, reluctant to look away even for a moment, lest he miss a good one. At his side, Umbra's tail begins to wag.]

Oh yeah? [He can't help his sudden curiosity, struggling to play it off as casual. When is the last time they set off fireworks back home? The hadn't had much to celebrate, lately. Might be why he can't really remember his father enjoying them very much, either.] Must be the best view in the city, being so high up.

[kingkingcxiii]

It is, though the view at the Villa will come close once we finish remodeling the roof.

[Plans that will have to be put off for the moment, of course. There will be far too much else in need of fixing after Adagium's rampage to focus funds on that for a while.

Regis walks up to Umbra's free side and gives the dog a scratch behind the ears as he continues.]

Sometimes it feels like you can reach out and touch the fireworks as they go off. A silly flight of fancy, I know. May I join you?

[carbungle]

Who am I to refuse a king?

[He says it in a way that's far from a formal tone, though, gesturing at the spot next to him. Umbra accepts the pets briefly before conveniently moving to sit at the opposite side of Noct, leaving Regis fewer options.]

Yeah, go for it.

[kingkingcxiii]

[Umbra...just what are you up to?]

You are the same as anyone else here. After all, this is not my kingdom. I'm just a man here.

[Regis settles down at Noctis' side, looking out at the fireworks. If the less than formal tone bothers him, he makes no sign of it. After all, he's the one trying to get people to stop 'Majestying' him all the time.]

How long have you been up here watching?

[carbungle]

[Noct waves off his first comment. Yeah, yeah. Still not calling him Regis, though.]

I don't know, I kind of lost track of time. An hour or something, maybe? They were just finishing the set-up when I got here, but when I heard what was going on I just had to find a nice spot to watch.

[kingkingcxiii]

[How about Reggie? Reggie's good too.]

I can hardly blame you.

[Regis watches as a particularly colorful burst lights the sky.]

Have you used he platforms yet to make any of your own?

[carbungle]

[Never gonna happen.

That question makes Noctis glance over in surprise.]

Make the fireworks? No, I haven't... you need a partner for it, right? [He gives the dog's head a little scratch.] Don't think Umbra would work for that.

[kingkingcxiii]

[Regis chuckles turning a fond look at the dog in question.]

I suspect not. They are very picky when it comes to what counts for this sort of thing. It has to be contact between two people.

[He rolls his eyes with a practiced motion. Silly specific rules.]

I wouldn't mind helping you if you wanted to give it a try.

[carbungle]

Oh, huh... you sure?

[He's starting to think that he shouldn't be surprised, despite the source; his father's eventual distance towards him had been somewhat gradual, the more he grew up, as the pressures of the throne grew exponentially right along with him. It makes sense that his younger self would be the kinder, more open version of him than the world-weary old man Noctis remembers more clearly.

Were it someone else, he might be more shy about the prospect of holding hands during a fireworks show, but- okay, yeah, he's still shy. But he does love fireworks, and this is his father, so. The two are warring in his heart right now.]

[kingkingcxiii]

I don't make offers if I'm not going to follow through on them.

[It is a rule that Regis has tried to live his life by. So far, he has been mostly successful, though in a few years the very pressures Noctis is thinking about will start making it so it is much harder to do.]

Please don't feel as if you have to say yes just because of who I am. I do have to admit...

[He suddenly seems a little embarrassed.]

...it is a strange thing to have someone offer, especially when you don't know them that well.

[carbungle]

Kinda strange, yeah. [His brows furrow, thinking it over, and then shrugs after a few moments.] I think I can deal with that, though. I'd really like to see more fireworks.

[And is it childish to kind of... want to make them with his dad? Yeah, probably, but there aren't many people here to judge him for it. He can risk being a little self-indulgent.]

[kingkingcxiii]

If it helps any, I don't think your canine companion will tell anyone.

[Regis' expression brightens again once Noctis makes his decision.]

The firework colors depend on what god you are aligned with. Mine is Ainea. Who are you aligned with?

[carbungle]

Oh, uh... Rawna?

[He's pretty passive about said alignment, which... considering the god is supposed to represent apathy, is probably why he got shuffled in that direction.]

I didn't know that was why. Guess that explains the trend, though.

[Lots of Ainea-aligned people around here.]

[kingkingcxiii]

Excellent! That means we will have four colors to work with.

[They still could have made something nice with just two colors, but it would have required bit more work.

Regis pulls himself to his feet and then moves to the edge of the roof, looking for a nearby platform.]

Ah! There is a platform right over here. Shall we give it a try?

[carbungle]

Sure thing.

[He stands up, moving to the edge of the roof as well, and...

....

....

Crap. How does he get down without warping.]

I'll just, uh... meet you there?

[Are there stairs? There's probably stairs. He definitely had to have taken stairs to get up here.

Please, Astrals, let there have been at least a fire escape in the back.]

[kingkingcxiii]

[Regis watches the expression on Noctis' face curious as to what is causing it. When the young man finally speaks, he can't help but chuckle before holding out a hand.]

You could, but if you will trust me, I have a faster way and I promise not to laugh should you have a parting with your last meal afterward.

[carbungle]

[It takes him a couple of seconds for it to click, what Regis must mean; having never been able to do it himself, the idea didn't actually occur to him.]

...Oh, you can warp with other people. Right...

[He hasn't actually done this since his own early warp training, years ago, but without further hesitation he reaches back to wind his hand around the king's. Thankfully, it's been a long time since he lost his lunch doing this, so fingers crossed that trend continues even when he's not the one in control.]

[kingkingcxiii]

It takes a lot of practice and only a few can do it reliably. It's also uses about twice the usual amount of magic, so the person trying it has to have a good store to even think about doing it. Fortunately, we are not going far. I have more than enough stores to take care of this.

[He gives Noctis' hand a squeeze, and, before the young man can object to the extra magic use, summons his sword and sends them on their way with a crackle of crystal.]

[carbungle]

[And zoom, off they go. Noctis braces himself just before the sword is flung, unsure how different it might feel, but any of his unease from a lack of control is balanced by the familiarity of it, the immediately recognizable nature of his father's power. It felt like- like Insomnia, like home. The pulse of the Crystal's magic was woven into the very air of that city, one he'd grown up feeling like a heartbeat, and he feels it here, too.

The sensation lasts but a few seconds, long enough for a quick warp and the aftermath of it, but aside from a slight stumble as he finds his footing again, he's left with no ill effects. Only the thought of it being over too soon.]

...Geez... that's so cool.

[Why can't he warp with other people? Prompto's right, so unfair.]

[kingkingcxiii]

[Regis chuckles as he dismisses the sword back into the Armiger.]

You handled that quite well. I suspect you would have thought it less cool if more had awaited you at the end than a stumble.

[He pauses then, turning to look back up at the roof.]

Will Umbra be upset we left him behind? I can go get him if need be.

[carbungle]

[He smiles faintly and says nothing to the first part. Sooner or later the truth is going to come out, he just knows it, but for now, he can hold his tongue.]

Don't worry about Umbra. He can get himself wherever he wants- most of the time even I don't know how he does it

[He's pretty sure the dog wouldn't enjoy warping much, either.]

[kingkingcxiii]

Dogs are rather amazing like that. Cats too.

[Regis is actually relieved to hear it. While he could go get Umbra, he agrees 100% with Noctis thought that the dog would not enjoy the trip at all.

And that is without knowing Umbra's true identity.]

I have been dancing with people to trigger the fireworks, though that is not the only way it can be done and something tells me that's not really your cup of tea anyway.

[carbungle]

Dancing? Yeah, not so much.

[Noctis glances down with a bemused smile, shaking his head.]

I think I know one dance, barely. Specs tried to teach me for two weeks and that's all I got out of it. No offense, Your Majesty, but you wouldn't do any better than him.

[kingkingcxiii]

None taken. I wasn't the best student when it came to my own lessons. I think my wife taught me more about dance than my tutors did.

[He walks over to the edge of the platform, looking out at the fireworks going off around them before turning back to once more reach for Noctis hand.]

Another method is for us to share happy memories with each other. Perhaps that would be more suited to your tastes?

[carbungle]

[File that one away as another piece in the puzzle that is his mother's life. He follows Regis over, hesitating so briefly it's almost not noticeable before accepting the offered hand, fingers curling around. Still unfamiliar, too young, not weathered or wrinkled enough to be his old man's. Comforting, even so.]

Yeah, that'd be okay. [He debates for a moment - he wants to ask, he always wants to ask, but fair is fair - then lifts their joined hands, gesturing back towards the roof.] You got us down here, so you pick. You or me?